My brief time as a junior high basketball guard proved I was born to be a spectator of the sport. But, I never got over the gear. I’ve even owned and worn out a pair of Chuck Taylor Converse All Stars. Did you know that the classic Converse Olympic white shoe made its debut at the 1936 Olympics? Spoiler Alert: Chuck Taylor did not take part in the Olympics. Smithsonian’s article tells how How Chuck Taylor Taught America How to Play Baseball. But for more quick info on Taylor, his white cadillac and his All Stars, read his Wikipedia page.
Staying with the Olympic theme, one of my favorite books (recommended to me by a Crop Consultant) is about a rowing team that snagged the Gold Medal in the 1936 Olympics. It’s based on one young man’s story of pre-WWII hard times. Growing up dirt poor in the Pacific Northwest, Joe Rantz joined the University of Washington rowing team mainly because meals were included. No Ivy League heroes in this book. The Boys in the Boat is a wonderful read or you might enjoy truck-listening on Audible.
Just 2 minutes. That’s all it takes to warm your heart. Jeni Stepien was the daughter of Michael Stepien. In 2006, her dad was robbed and killed by a 16 year old. Thanks to the Stepien family’s choice to donate Michael’s organs, a high school counselor and father of 4 – Arthur Thomas – was able to live. Ten years later, guess who walked Jeni down the aisle?! Listen to the NPR story Through Organ Donation a Heart Lives On.
